Thermal degradation behavior of polypropylene base wood plastic composites hybridized with metal (aluminum, magnesium) hydroxides

The effect of hybridization of wood fibers and metal hydroxides on the thermal stability of polypropylene (PP) based plastic composites is studied through thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The wood fiber increases thermal stability of the metal hydroxide hybridized WPC including aluminum hydroxide (AH) and magnesium hydroxide (MH). Hybridization with the AH increases decomposition temperature of the maximum loss rate (T_max) of the PP due to reinforcement of residue, but the onset-temperature of the PP decomposition is nearly shifted. However, hybridization with the MH increases both the onset-temperature and the T_max of the PP thermal degradation. Both AH and MH fillers increase the T_max of the PP matrix decomposition with increment of their contents. Besides, the MH case shows higher thermal stability of the PP resin in WPC decomposition than the AH case at the same loading level.